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see—”
    “Him
that way,” she finished for him.
    “Mara,
are you okay?”
    Her
head continued to pound insistently and anger slipped into her usually calm
tone. “Stop asking me questions to which you already know the answer! Do you
think standing over me like this helps anything? Do you think I want to see you
any more than him?”
    “Mara!”
he cut in. “Stop it!  It was six-hundred years ago. It was—”
    “She
was wearing a blue gown of silk. She was dancing in his arms where she
belonged. He spun her around once, twice, thrice.”
    “Mara.”
This time his voice was gentle. “That was a long time ago. She died a long time
ago.”
    “I
know.” Her voice decreased in volume. “I know she died…except when I look in
his eyes, watch him breathe, listen to the beat of his heart. Then she lives. I
can see her dancing in his eyes.”
    “You
have to stop punishing yourself for what happened.  It was—”
    “If
you say it was not my fault,” Mara interrupted, “then I swear to the Gods I
will slit your throat where you stand.”
    Silence
followed her threat. Garreth’s eyes shifted around the room as he considered
his words. “Have you ever considered that perhaps your forgiveness lies in his
arms?”
    She
shook her head slowly, the anger vanishing from her now hushed tone. “In his
arms,” she echoed his words. “In his arms, listening to the sound of his heart,
is the only place I have ever known peace.  And the one place…the only
place that I can never be—is with him.” She searched Garreth’s pale eyes. “I am
not worthy of his forgiveness, Garreth. I will never be worthy.”

Chapter X
    Edward
awoke in considerably less pain than when he had first arrived back in his
chambers. The expert healers had gone to work on his injuries. Between their
careful ministrations and powerful salves, he was beginning to feel more like
himself. He opened his eyes to find Garreth sitting in a large chair that had
been pulled beside the bed. “Hello, Captain.”
    “Garreth,”
Edward said to his longtime friend. “You need a haircut.”
    Garreth
gave a soft chuckle. “Mara said the same thing.”
    “So,
she is why you are here.”
    “I
am here because someone tried to kill you, Captain.”
    Edward
met Garreth’s light green eyes. “Is she okay?”
    Garreth
shook his head and sighed. “Why the hell do you two fight each other? You
should go into that room, throw her down on the bed and let go of the past once
and for all.”
    “Garreth!
Be serious.”
    “I
am being serious! Do you think this is what she wanted? She would kick
both your asses if she could see this.”
    Edward
shook his head. “You don’t understand.”
    “Of
course I understand,” Garreth replied, frustration filtering through his voice.
“She was my sister, Edward. And she would not have wanted the two of you, who
she loved most, to suffer in this way.”
    “I
should have been there. I should have stopped it.”
    “There
is only one person to blame for the fact that both you and Mara were not there
that night. It wasn’t you and it wasn’t Mara. If you still must insist on
blame, after all of these years, then at least place it where it rightfully
belongs.”
    “If
I had done my job, instead of letting everything else get in the way.”
    “You
mean instead of following your heart? Please, for the love of all the Gods,
Edward, my friend. Please, let this go. Forgive yourself and forgive her, too.
She is self-destructing and from where I am seated, you don’t seem far behind
her.”
    “Mara
does not self-destruct. Haven’t you heard? She is the cold-hearted, fearless,
merciless Black Rose.”
    “Edward!”
he said sharply.
    Silence
followed as the Captain stared down at the blankets in sudden shame. “I’m
sorry, Garreth. It’s just, seeing her again, it’s just not…”
    “I
know,” Garreth replied sadly. “I know what the two of you do to each other. I
know all too well.” He ran his fingers through his